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Sharing the Story "Do you people still have
more than one wife?" asked a visitor. "Why don't
you use electricity?" asked another. Confusion
with Mormons and other faith traditions can
make being a Mennonite challenging. Editor
more than one wife?" asked a visitor. "Why don't
you use electricity?" asked another. Confusion
with Mormons and other faith traditions can
make being a Mennonite challenging. Editor
Joe Miller talks about sharing your faith journey.
| OurFaith Digest seeks to nourish faith, family and mission with stories from the Mennonite/Anabaptist faith tradition. |
Welcome to OurFaith Digest
It may not be apparent from my name but I was not born
Mennonite or Anabaptist. Fact is, I was raised Roman
Catholic. Way back then, Catholics were going through a
big change called Vatican II and it really overturned my
belief boat. Things that I had thought were eternally true
were suddenly not so. So dramatic were the changes that,
for a time, I left church altogether.
It wasn’t until years later when we found ourselves living in
a largely Amish and Mennonite community that the tug of
God to return to church became undeniable. Here were a
people who seemed to take their faith seriously – and live it
24 hours a day. We made a discreet inquiry at the little
white washed meetinghouse up on Cambridge Road in
Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, and we were quickly hugged
into the congregation like the family we never had.
I can’t say that there were no struggles but that is to be
expected anytime one joins a new group. We had some
adjustments to make. For example, because Catholics
believe that God literally resides in the sanctuary, the
atmosphere there was always quiet and reverent, bordering
on awesome. When we arrived at Cambridge Mennonite,
there was a lot of happy chattering. It took me some time to
realize that I would not be struck by lightning if I visited with
people before the service.
All of this reminds me of a recent article by Melodie Davis.
Melodie tells the story of Third Way Café, a web site run by
Mennonite Media to answer the questions of non-
Mennonites. “The array of questions,” she says, “is
sometimes amusing, often confounding and frequently
gives insights as to what people wonder about Mennonites
but are too shy to ask.”
Some of the questions are theological. Wayne wrote to say
“I want your definition of ‘sacrament.’ Some Mennonites
think they have seven sacraments, but they cannot name
them. Nor can they provide me with a definition of
‘sacrament.’”
Another, from Ken, inquired about pre-marital sex among
Mennonites. He says, “I heard a comment last night that
Mennonites give a couple intent on marriage a blanket, and
that it is accepted that this couple will engage in premarital
sexual relations prior to the marriage ceremony. Can you
enlighten me?”
The one that probably best falls into the “confounding”
column comes from Kay. She reported that “Recently,
several Mennonite families moved near our farm, and I
have noticed that they watched our cats when they were at
our house. Is there a certain Mennonite belief concerning
cats?”
I’m afraid that I couldn’t answer the questions with a straight
face. “The reason why your Mennonite neighbors were
looking at your cats,” I’d be tempted to reply, “is because
they were thinking ‘dinner.’”
All of this is to say that it’s easy for those of us born
Anabaptist/Mennonite or who have been in the Mennonite
church for a while to be puzzled by those strange questions
from people. What we’ve got to keep in mind is that they
are earnest, honest, questions from those seeking truth.
I’m grateful to the people of Cambridge Mennonite who put
up with my endless questions and chatter, my angst and
turmoil.
So the next time a newcomer happens to ask you a
question about your faith, take a deep breath, say a quick
prayer and share with them from your heart.
Just don’t look at their cats.
Blessings,
Joe Miller, editor
Mennonite or Anabaptist. Fact is, I was raised Roman
Catholic. Way back then, Catholics were going through a
big change called Vatican II and it really overturned my
belief boat. Things that I had thought were eternally true
were suddenly not so. So dramatic were the changes that,
for a time, I left church altogether.
It wasn’t until years later when we found ourselves living in
a largely Amish and Mennonite community that the tug of
God to return to church became undeniable. Here were a
people who seemed to take their faith seriously – and live it
24 hours a day. We made a discreet inquiry at the little
white washed meetinghouse up on Cambridge Road in
Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, and we were quickly hugged
into the congregation like the family we never had.
I can’t say that there were no struggles but that is to be
expected anytime one joins a new group. We had some
adjustments to make. For example, because Catholics
believe that God literally resides in the sanctuary, the
atmosphere there was always quiet and reverent, bordering
on awesome. When we arrived at Cambridge Mennonite,
there was a lot of happy chattering. It took me some time to
realize that I would not be struck by lightning if I visited with
people before the service.
All of this reminds me of a recent article by Melodie Davis.
Melodie tells the story of Third Way Café, a web site run by
Mennonite Media to answer the questions of non-
Mennonites. “The array of questions,” she says, “is
sometimes amusing, often confounding and frequently
gives insights as to what people wonder about Mennonites
but are too shy to ask.”
Some of the questions are theological. Wayne wrote to say
“I want your definition of ‘sacrament.’ Some Mennonites
think they have seven sacraments, but they cannot name
them. Nor can they provide me with a definition of
‘sacrament.’”
Another, from Ken, inquired about pre-marital sex among
Mennonites. He says, “I heard a comment last night that
Mennonites give a couple intent on marriage a blanket, and
that it is accepted that this couple will engage in premarital
sexual relations prior to the marriage ceremony. Can you
enlighten me?”
The one that probably best falls into the “confounding”
column comes from Kay. She reported that “Recently,
several Mennonite families moved near our farm, and I
have noticed that they watched our cats when they were at
our house. Is there a certain Mennonite belief concerning
cats?”
I’m afraid that I couldn’t answer the questions with a straight
face. “The reason why your Mennonite neighbors were
looking at your cats,” I’d be tempted to reply, “is because
they were thinking ‘dinner.’”
All of this is to say that it’s easy for those of us born
Anabaptist/Mennonite or who have been in the Mennonite
church for a while to be puzzled by those strange questions
from people. What we’ve got to keep in mind is that they
are earnest, honest, questions from those seeking truth.
I’m grateful to the people of Cambridge Mennonite who put
up with my endless questions and chatter, my angst and
turmoil.
So the next time a newcomer happens to ask you a
question about your faith, take a deep breath, say a quick
prayer and share with them from your heart.
Just don’t look at their cats.
Blessings,
Joe Miller, editor
| Copyright 2008 OurFaith Digest |